Quick tips to keep your manicure at its best

One of the biggest issues women have after a manicure is that it just doesn’t seem to last as long as it should. Even when professionally done, there are still problems that seem to arise and keep you running back for a quick fix. Whether you have someone do your nails for you or do your own, there are some simple tips to make your manicure look the best it can and last longer. While most of these tips apply to people that do their own nails, some will apply to those who have professional manicures as well and save them a few dollars in the process as well.

The first tip is to never skip applying the base coat. A good strengthening base coat is not only good for your nails, but is going to help keep keep dark colors from turning yellowish. while it takes a little longer to apply the base coat than just skipping it initially, in the long run it saves time because you do not need to strip and redo your nails as often, and it just makes the color coat look better because it needs the protective barrier with your nail to look its best.

Don’t forget to remove polish smudges from your skin. It makes you look lazy to have any smudge, especially a dark one. Everyone has seen this before and knows it looks awful. Wrap a small bit of cotton around an orange stick or toothpick, dip it in polish remover and gently rub the smudge out. It only takes a few minutes and makes a world of difference.

When you apply your polish make sure you go just a little bit above the cuticles. The reason for this is it is often tough to avoid getting a little smudge on your cuticles. it is even harder to remove a cuticle smudge without removing some polish from the nail. Go a little extra and paint just a bit of the cuticle so the job looks more uniform.

If your polish chips quickly, within a day or two, it is probably an indication that your nails are rich with natural oils. While that is a good thing for your nails when bare, it is a bad thing for getting polish to adhere to them. A quick fix for this is to wipe your nails down with an acetone polish remover. Allow it dry which will only take a minute or so, and then apply your base coat. While non-acetone removers are very popular, they will not remove nail oils so just keep some on hand if you regularly have this problem.

If you get a chip in the polish the worst thing you can do is pick at it. Dab a bit of polish where the chip is and allow it to dry. Then do a full coat of polish over the entire nail. This will keep you from having those ugly bumps and uneven patches that are a dead giveaway you did a quick fix on your nails, and a sloppy one at that. Plus when you do have a bump caused by a quick fix, the odds are you will pick at it, or that it will chip again in a day or two. Take the extra few minutes and do it right. It looks better and saves you time in the long run.

For people that use the computer all day a common complaint is that the tips of their nails are shot in just a few days after a manicure. Since the odds are you won’t be able to type less, you have to plan ahead. About every other day brush on a clear topcoat over and under the tips of your nails to help protect the original finish. It will wear down, that is inevitable, but a regular regimen like this will extend the life of your manicure significantly.

The final thing to remember is that layers are good. Always use a good strengthening base coat to start. Two layers of a color polish is better than one. Let the first color dry dry completely and then apply the second. Once the second color coat has dried, apply a clear topcoat. This reduces the chances of chipping and helps provide a richer look. In the case that chipping does occur this increases the odds it will be to the topcoat alone which is a far easier fix than if ti were the color coat itself.